How To Start A Nature Journal - Sketchbook Techniques For Nature

In this class, we’re going to start a nature journal, or nature sketchbook.

If you love art and nature and would love to connect the two, then you should try out nature journaling. Or maybe you’re curious to make your own art, but feel hesitant to do so, or you always wanted to keep a sketchbook but don’t know how...all very good reasons you should explore nature journals.


I used to shy away from keeping sketchbooks (and actually only made art on loose paper), but now they’ve become my favorite tool. Sketchbooks don’t have to be intimidating, they can serve you to discover beauty in nature, and to connect more deeply with the world around you. And you will get better drawing skills in the process.


This class will show you essential techniques for keeping a nature journal, and how this can help you to build your creative habits and get better at observing and drawing. 
I’ll help you to choose the right materials to get started, and how to actually get started. I’ll share some of my favorite techniques and different examples of sketchbook pages. I’ll show you how you can find inspiration in nature, and finally, I will take you through a step-by-step process for a couple of sketches.

Drawing and painting with watercolors is a skill that everyone can learn if they keep doing it regularly. And if you do it, you will see and experience nature like you haven’t done before. You will remember it better and more vividly.

This class is great for beginners, in fact absolutely everyone can start such a nature journal and build a regular art making habit around it. I hope you’ll be inspired and excited to start your own nature journal by the end of this class!

• Introduction
• What is a nature journal
• Tools
• Techniques for drawing
• Getting started with your sketchbook - let's go outside
• Making collections
• Drawing your collection pt1 (leaves and bark)
• Drawing your collection pt 2 (ivy leaf)
• Drawing your collection pt3 (winter berries in different techniques)
• Create your own sketchbook page
• Final thoughts